Animal-trap.



T. PRITGHARD.

ANIMAL 'PRAP. APPLICATION FILED 1930.22, 1909.

1,053,217. Patented Feb. 18,1913.

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' u The present invention relates to animal UNITED S TES PATENT 'OFFICE' 'rnomas rmrcn'ann, or nrxin, IDAHO.

ANI AL-ruin.

Specification of Letters Patent- Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

' Application filed December 22, 1909. Serial lfo. 534,513.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TnoMAs. PRrroHAnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dixie, in the county of Idaho and State of Idaho, have invented new and useful Imrovements in Animal-Traps, of which the ollowing is a specification.

tra s, and the object is to provide a simple an effectivedevice, whereby either small" or large animals may be caught and either killed or retained alive, as maybe desired.

The preferred form of construction .is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan View of the trap; Fig 2 is a longitudinal sectional View there'- through.

Similar reference numerals designate 'corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment disclosed, an open supporting frame 3 is provided that'is oblong in shape, and arranged in said frame, is a downwardly swinging tubular animal receiver 4: having an open front end 5 and a closed rear end 6, the closed end carrying a" tubular ste1n'7, in which is detachably threaded a counterbalancing weight 8. The

mounting for this animal receiver is in the form 0 a transverse pin 9 extending through the stem 7, and having its ends projecting to form trunnions 10 that are jour naled, as shown at 11 on the side bars of the frame. The tubular animal receiver 4 is preferably provided with cars 12 that engage the trunnions in order to maintain the same in proper relation to the receiver; The stem 7 rests in the rear end of the frame '3 when the receiver 4 is in position for the re.-

ception of the animal, said rear end ofthe frame and the said'stem coiiperating to pre- .vent the weight 8 swinging to an inoperative position. When the receiver is in horizontal position, its lower side is preferably below the upperedge of the frame, and the front barof said frame is cut-away, as shown at 13. A latch 14, pivoted to the under side at the open end, has a forwardly projecting tooth 15 that detachably engages in a socket 16' formed in'the front bar oft'he.

frame, and thus normally holds the receiver in said horizontal position. A tread 17, pivoted, as shown at 18, within the rear portion of the feceiver, carries a depending arm 19 that extends through a slot 20 in the lower side of said receiver, and this arm has a; link connection 21 with the lower-end 0f, the latch.

A suitable bait-holding device, preferably in the form of a hook 22 is arranged within the rear-portion of the animal receiver, and access thereto is had through an openin 23 formed in the top of the receiver. he opening is normal y closed by a swinging door 24.

In use, the trap isplaoed upon a receptajcle, as 25, and if the animals are tobe killed,

this receptacle is partially filled with water. The counterbalancing weight is so adjusted that it will just bring the receiver 4 to its horizontal position, and permit the latch 15 to engage the notch 16 when there is nothing in the trap. The said trap being baited, it will be evident that whenever an animal is attracted by the bait, it will enter the open end and in attempting to reach said bait will step upon the tread 17. Consequently the tread will be moved and the latch disen- From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction. operation and many",;.dvan'-" tages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those. skilled in the art, without further description, audit will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details ofonstruction, may be resorted to without de parting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully' described my inven- I tion, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a trap of the character set forth, the combination of a supporting frame open at top and bottom and provided with a recess in its forward end, a tubular animal receiver pivoted 1n the frame and having an open front and aclosed'rear end, a latch pivoted to the under side of the receiver at its front end and detachably engaging in the I out of the frame, and a counterbnlancing reeess of the support, a bait-holding device weight adjustable longitudinally in. said tulecat'ed in the closed end of the receiver, a bular stem. tread yiveted intermediate its ends in the In testimony whereof, I qflix my signa- 5 lZOElVBI: and having, to the rear (if its pivot, ture in presence of two witnesses. a link connection with the latch, a tubular stem prejecting from the closed rear end of THOMAS IRITCHARD' the receiver and normally resting upon the \Vitnesses: .reer end of the sup Qrting frame to prevent ALBERT H. MGKNIGl-IT, he raising ofthe ont end of the receiver BENTLEY S. GULLEN. 

